The New Tynesiders - Little Town - Book 2

"The New Tynesiders" follows the story of Akan Badoe; a Ghanaian immigrant who comes to settle in the North East along with many other ethnic groups. His struggle for acceptance in a racially bigoted Britain are documented. The story also follows young Jimmy Connors Hepple the boy from the "Little Town" story who is adopted by an eminent surgeon and his wife after a tragic accident where both his parents are killed in a gas explosion.Jimmy meets Sydney a young black boy and they become friends. Jimmy the adventurer wants to work in the Arctic like his hero Sir Robert Falcon Scott. Sydney a doctor. The story takes you on a journey through the boys childhood into adulthood where colour, creed,or religion have no boundaries. The New Tynesiders will take you back from 1948- 1966.

20. 20

“We aren’t going to serve no black people in here so you might as well leave now before you get hurt.”

Efie got up with Elisa and was about to leave.

“You sits down woman I will say when we leave here.” Now you move out of my way man and you get me the owner. The big man in the suit looked at Akan and saw the anger in his eyes to save face he laughed out loud with his friend then sat back down.

“Soon after the owner came out and asked what was going on and the woman whispered something in his ear and pointed in Akan’s direction.

The owner came over to the table and said “Sorry but you will have to leave you are upsetting the customers.”

“We will leave when you have served us our drinks sir and if you don’t I will go straight to the police do you hear me. “ You cannot treat us like second class citizens anymore this is 1960 not 1930.”

After a minute the owner asked what they wanted.”

“Two coffees’ and milk shake for my daughter please.”

The owner left then came back some five minutes later saying sorry we are right out of Coffee and we do not have any milk shake either.”

Akan looked around and everyone was laughing.”

“You have beer though said Akan my wife and I will have one and you have lemonade for my daughter.”

The owner knew that Akan had one over on him and his jaw tightened as he poured the drinks.

Akan paid for them then the girl brought them to the table.

The laughing stopped and they just sat staring but Akan wasn’t bothered he had beaten them even if it had taken over an hour.

When Akan and his wife were finished he bid them all good day then left.

“Daddy they could have killed you.”

“We cannot allow them to treat us any differently Eliza; we are not slaves any more we are free and have the same rights as them.”

“Do not let anyone tell you otherwise you hear?

“Yes daddy.”

“Come now let us get back to the ferry landing.”

Over the next six months, Akan and his friends from Colonial House made a point of calling in to the bar in South Shields; where the owner was forced to serve them.